Adjustable gas control valve



Dec. 27, 1960 J s L 2,966,329

ADJUSTABLE GAS CONTROL VALVE Original Filed May 8. 1956 United States Patent ADJUSTABLE GAS CONTROL VALVE Timothy J. Sullivan, Butte, Mont., assignor to Sullivan Valve and Engineering Company, Butte, Mont., a corporation of Montana Original application May 8, 1956, Ser. No. 583,893,

now Patent No. 2,825,510, dated Mar. 4, 1958. Divided and this application July 18, 1957, Ser. No. 693,499

'1 Claim. (Cl. 251-31) This invention pertains generally to gas control valves, and more particularly to means for adjustably setting the open positions of pressure-motor controlled full-flow supply valves. This application is a divisional application of my earlier application Ser. No. 583,893 filed May 8, 1956, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,510.

An object of my invention is to provide adjustable stop means limiting the open positions of a single-stage full-flow valve controlling the fiow of a gaseous medium from a source to a demand.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparent from a study of the following specification when considered in conjunction with the single figure of accompanying drawings which illustrates by an axial sectional elevation view a single-stage full flow valve according to the present invention.

Referring now to the single figure of the drawings, a single stage valve is disclosed having diaphragm 76 with valve stem 77 secured therethrough by means of the lock nuts 78 and the pressure plates 79. Connecting link 80 secured to the lower extremity of valve stem 77 is secured to valve member 81 so that when diaphragm 76 is in its lower position as shown, valve member 81 is in its closed position, and when diaphragm 76 is in its upper position the valve member 81 is in its open position.

Secured to the upper portion of the pressure motor casing 82 is a sleeve 83 having a threaded interior bore. Threadably movable within the sleeve 83 is adjustable setting member 84. Setting member 84 has a hollow bore therethrough to permit vertical sliding movement of valve stem 77 therein. O-ring 85a in the sleeve 83 serves to seal the valve stem 77 and to prevent evacuation of the pressure motor. The valve stem 77 is provided with an extension 85 adapted to cooperate with the under surface 86 of adjustable set-ting member 84. Thus it may be seen that by vertically adjusting setting member 84 within sleeve 83 the extent of upward travel of stem 77 may be limited, and consequently the extent of opening of valve member 81 is likewise limited. Secured to the upper extremity of valve stem 77 is lever arm 77a pivoted about pivot point 77b and provides control means to a secondary door (not shown) by means of the chain 5.

The operation of the pressure motor is controlled by solenoid valve 87 having a line 88 connected to the upper pressure motor chamber 89 and a line 90 connected to the lower pressure motor chamber 91. Energization of the solenoid valve will cause line 88 to be connected to vent line 92 with the result that the pressure in lower chamber 91 is greater than the pressure in upper chamber 2,966,329 Patented Dec. 27, 1960 89. Diaphragm 76 then moves upwardly until extension contacts lower surface 86 of adjustable setting member 84. Valve member 81 is thus moved to its open position.

Failure of electrical power supplied to solenoid valve 87 will result in the connection of lines 88 and 90 to equalize the pressures in upper chamber 89 and lower chamber 91 and to allow diaphragm 76 to drop and valve member 81 to close. The solenoid valve 87 is provided with the solenoid holding means described above.

While in accordance with the provisions of the Statutes I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my invention known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the apparatus described without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

Control means for controlling the flow of a gaseous medium in a supply main connecting a source to a demand comprising a valve in said supply main having a valve casing divided into an inlet chamber and an outlet chamber by a partition provided with a valve seat, and a valve member pivotally mounted within said inlet chamber and cooperating with said valve seat; a pressure motor having a casing and a movable diaphragm therein; means connecting said diaphragm to said valve member so that the position of said valve member with respect to said valve seat is dependent upon the position of said diaphragm within said casing; a vertical sleeve member secured in an opening in the upper portion of said pressure motor casing, said sleeve having a vertical bore extending longitudinally therethrough, the upper portion of said bore being threaded; an opening setting member threadably secured in the threaded portion of the longitudinal bore in said sleeve member, said setting member having a vertical bore extending longitudinally therethrough; an auxiliary equipment control stem slidably mounted in the bore of said setting member, one end of said stem being connected to said diaphragm and the other end of said stem constituting a longitudinally-movable output shaft extending outside said casing, said auxiliary equipment control stern having a projection intermediate the diaphragm-connected end and said setting member and adapted to cooperate with said setting member to limit the upward extent of axial movement of said auxiliary control stern and the opening of the valve as determined by the longitudinal adjustment of said setting member within said sleeve member; and annular sealing means mounted within the lower portion of the bore in said sleeve member in engagement with the periphery of the control stem to seal the opening through the easing of the pressure motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 239,217 Bishop Mar. 22, 1881 899,029 Connet Sept. 22, 1908 966,150 Woodbridge Aug. 2, 1910 1,043,032 Richards Oct. 29, 1912 2,010,088 Kohler Aug. 6, 1935 2,169,454 Titus Aug. 15, 1939 2,207,921 Huxford July 16, 1940 2,213,663 Bernard Sept. 3, 1940 

